The present invention relates generally to an improved system for easily and efficiently cleaning an aquarium. More particularly, the present invention enables the user to significantly decrease the amount of water handled during the cleaning process as well as the amount of disturbance to tank inhabitants.
Many people enjoy having aquariums in their homes, but the feeling of joy often leads to dread when the tank must be cleaned. A known hose siphoning method, for example, for cleaning the tank is very burdensome and undesirable. Aquarium owners typically follow the rule of thumb that a regular cleaning requires one-fourth to one-third of the xe2x80x9cbottomxe2x80x9d water being xe2x80x9cpulledxe2x80x9d or siphoned out once a month. This means that for a typical twenty-gallon tank, for example, five to seven gallons must be removed for cleaning. During this process, a user must perform various unpleasant tasks such as carrying numerous heavy buckets of water to and from the tank. The buckets removed from the tank are often filthy, especially for those who too long delayed the process. Also, either hands, arms, lips or all often make contact with the filthy water when using this siphoning hose. This is easily the most dreadful part of the cleaning process. In addition, the hose siphoning method causes stirring up of the sediment, thereby disturbing the aquarium atmosphere, the fish, and other tank inhabitants as well. As a result, the goal of completely removing sediment is rendered impossible. This conventional method causes stress on the fish, the other tank inhabitants, as well as the user.
Therefore, in cleaning a fish tank, there is a need for a system that does not stir up the sediment so that a significantly cleaner fish tank is possible. There is also a need to greatly reduce the amount of water that a user must carry and come into contact with during the cleaning process. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount of time and labor it takes to clean a fish tank be reduced.
One approach to this problem has been to provide an aquarium cleaning system with a funnel-like chamber beneath the tank for receiving sediment. Sediment passes from the main aquarium chamber through a screen into the lower collection chamber. The system further includes a source of pressurized air for both aerating the main chamber and for agitating the sediment and thus facilitating its collection in the bottom of the funnel for eventual disposal. A valve is positioned at a lower end of the chamber for releasing and eliminating collected sediment from the collection chamber.
A disadvantage of the known system is that the forced air agitation of the lower chamber may impede the natural collection of sediment. Another disadvantage of the present system is that the presence of air circulation tubes beneath the surface of the main aquarium chamber requires a settling chamber of relatively tall height. This tall lower chamber increased required materials and is visually undesirable. Also, in applications where space is limited, the chamber may reduce the available aquarium volume.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved aquarium cleansing system designed to prevent stirring up of the sediment within lower and upper tank chambers during the cleaning process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved aquarium cleansing system which creates a less burdensome and more efficient removal of sediment which has settled at the bottom of the tank.
The above-identified objects are met or exceeded by the present waterfall aquarium cleansing system. The present invention provides a system where achieving a significantly cleaner fish tank is a fast and easy process whereby the volume of water handled and the amount of time spent cleaning are significantly reduced. Fish tank dwellers as well as fish tank owners are less stressed because during the cleaning process, sediment is not stirred up about the tank or in a sediment collection retention area beneath the main tank chamber.
A pulling/settling action in the present invention caused by differential pressure gradients allows sediment and the conventional scale from evaporated hard water to progress downward to the tank bottom, through a gravel layer, and also through a porous filter. Once the sediment and hard water solids have passed through the filter, they accumulate without agitation in a retention area defined by the bottom side of the filter and a tank base. The base preferably includes a concave reservoir portion that gradually tapers toward at least one preferably centrally disposed aperture in a floor of the base. The at least one aperture allows the sediment and water to be easily drained from the tank.
More specifically, the present invention provides a tank that includes a base, a first side, a second side, and the first and second sides having a height all defining a main chamber. A filter is also provided that is in fluid communication with the base and disposed relative thereto to define a retention area above the base. At least one aperture in communication with the retention area is formed in the base. The retention area is configured for agitation-free collection of sediment.